


Sleeping Beauty

by Eastofthemoon



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternative Canon, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Humor, Romance, Season 2 compliant, Slow Burn, True Love's Kiss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-30
Updated: 2019-09-30
Packaged: 2020-11-08 10:57:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20834333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eastofthemoon/pseuds/Eastofthemoon
Summary: When Keith is accidentally put into a coma like state, Allura finds herself doing something she thought she never do.





	Sleeping Beauty

**Author's Note:**

> So this was written for a small even for the Kallura discord in which we were given flowers and we wrote something regarding their meaning. Mine was forget-me-knots which from what I read means "True Love". So I went with this.
> 
> Also, minor note, but this takes place in an alternative plot after season 2. Zarkon is actually dead, and Shiro never went missing. I have some rough ideas to write a follow up to this story and then a longer story, but we'll just start off with this and see how far I get.

“Hey Keith, you gotta try this!”

Keith lowered the tablet he’d been reading and raised an eyebrow. “Try what?”

“This!” Hunk grinned merrily as he held up a piece of fruit from a small basket hanging from the crook of his arm. “I just snagged these. They are delicious!"

Keith frowned as the took the fruit and turned it around in his hands. It kind of looked like an apple, except it was blue with bright pink spots scattered across the top.

“I thought you guys were just buying spare parts,” Keith asked.

Hunk, Pidge, and Shiro had flown to the nearby planet to do a supply run. Keith recalled Coran handing Shiro a list, but last he checked it was a list of parts they needed for repairs, not a grocery list.

“We did but we stopped by the local market to see if they had anything good for cooking.” Hunk held up the basket. “We were getting low on ingredients and I rather not go back to food goo if we can help it.”

Keith raised and lowered a hand. Yeah, that was fair. The food goo wasn’t terrible but he’d happily take a burnt piece of toast over eating it if he could. 

Tilting the fruit side to side Keith asked. “What does it taste like?”

Hunk grasped his chin as he shut his eyes in thought. “Hmm..kind of sweet, but it slight sourness to it. Almost like a combo of a lemon and a peach, it’s hard to describe.”

Keith remained skeptical. As a kid, he once bit into a slice of lemon and remembered having instant regrets as his dad laughed his head off. “That doesn’t sound appetizing to me.”

“Dude,” Hunk said as he sat down next to Keith, “have I ever led you astray when it comes to food?” He placed a hand over his heart. “I am never wrong when it comes to fine cuisine.”

Keith poked his chest. “You say that when I've witnessed us powering up the castle to create a wormhole with cookies you've baked.”

“Hey, they still tasted fine..even if they were unchewable.” He took out another fruit and bite into it. “Look, Shiro, Pidge and Lance have already eaten some and they all agree it’s good.”

Keith frowned, feeling the need to express that Shiro didn’t always have the best taste pallet. He ate pineapple on his pizza for crying out loud. However, the desire vanished as Hunk placed his hands together and looked to him with big pleading eyes.

Keith sighed in defeat. “Alright, fine, I’ll try it.”

Hunk grinned pleased as Keith gingerly bite into the fruit. It had the crunch of an apple, but he understood what Hunk meant by the sweet sourness. It even made his tongue tingle a bit.

“It’s not bad,” Keith muttered as he swallowed. “I prefer oranges though.”

“Yeah, I hear ya,” Hunk said as he leaned back. “Still, I bet I could make a great pie from this.”

Keith wanted to respond, but suddenly his lips became numb.

“My grandma had this awesome apple pie recipe,” Hunk continued. “I mean, I know it doesn’t taste like an apple, but I bet the crust could go well with it.”

Keith didn’t answer. He was too busy trying to fight off the dizziness that swooped upon him. His vision was getting blurry too.

“Not granted, I might be able to make some tarts-Oh! No, wait a cobbler would be...Whoa. Keith, you okay?” He felt Hunk place a hand on his shoulder. “You’re pale all of a sudden.”

Keith couldn’t answer. All he could do was shut his eyes as he lost the strength to hold onto the bitten fruit. The last thing he heard was Hunk calling his name before he passed out as the fruit tumbled to the ground.

————————————————————————————-

Allure frowned as she stared at the screen. “I don’t understand,” she muttered. “We’ve made the repairs but the shields on the west side of the castle is still not at full power.”

Coran hummed as he poked his head back under the console. "Hmm, betting a tightening of the wires is required."

He held out a hand and wiggled his fingers towards the space mice sitting on the floor. "Will need the splitbuster if you please."

Chulatt gave a small salute as the other mice reached into the toolbox and handed over the desired tool.

“Right, this should do the trick,” Coran said ventured further under the console. “Just a twist here..and a twist there and-”

Sparks flew.  
Coran’s body jumped as he head banged against the console. Allura rushed over as the mice climbed up her shoulders for a better look.

“Are you alright?” Allura asked.

Coran coughed as he moved out and tugged at his scorched mustache.

“Oh, yes, princess, just fine,” Coran said as he gave a weary grin. “I’ll get some feeling back in my finger tips in a few vargas.”

Allura cringed as she patted his shoulder. “Perhaps, we should take a break and ask Pidge if she could-”

“Allura! Coran!” Shiro’s voice shouted over the intercom. “We need you in the sick bay!”

Allura blinked in confusion as she rose and quickly hit intercom to respond. “Why? What’s wrong?”

“It’s Keith, but be faster to explain if you come here first,” Shiro replied, “just hurry.”

Alarmed, Allura yanked Coran to his feet and they bolted from the control centre. The mice clung to her shoulders as they ran down the hall and entered the sick bay. All of the paladins were there, with the exception of Keith lying unconscious on one of the beds. Shiro was hovering above him, his face filled with worry. Pidge was anxiously hugging herself as Lance kept repeatedly tapping his foot and Hunk looked ready to burst into tears as he paced back and forth.

As all eyes turned to her and Coran, Hunk was the first to sprint towards her.

“Allura, it’s all my fault! You have a cure for this right?! You can fix this right?! I’ll never forgive myself it anything-”

“Hunk, calm down,” Allura said as she took his hands and patted them. “What happened?”

“He poisoned Keith,” Lance said bluntly as he gestured his hands at the bed.

“What?!” Allura and Coran exclaimed at once.

“It was an accident!” Hunk began to babble again, until Coran placed a hand over his mouth.

“Alright, panicking won’t help anyone,” he said gently. “Now how exactly did occur?”

Hunk said as he scrubbed his hands over his face. “I found this new fruit at the market so I gave it to Keith and next thing I knew he passed out on the floor.”

Allura raised an eyebrow as the mice twitched their whiskers curiously. "New fruit?"

Hunk nodded as he turned around and brought a basket filled with blue fruit.

Allura's eyes widened as she heard Coran gasp. She had only seen pictures of it from her father's files but she recognized it anywhere.

"Keith ate that?!" Coran exclaimed as he pointed a shaky finger.

"Yeah," Hunk confirmed as Allura felt the dread brew inside her. "I just don't get it. I ate like three of them and I was fine."

Allura froze as her dread transformed into awestruck horror. "You...ate...THREE?!"

Hunk winced slightly as he gave a nod.

"And you do not even feel dizzy?"

"No," Hunk replied and gulped. "Wait, should I be dead or something?!"

Lance scratched his cheek as he looked baffled. "Um..then I would be in the same boat since I ate like two?"

"What?!" Allura cried as Coran paled.

Shiro raised a hand. "I spilt half of mine with Pidge."

"I still say it would taste better if I could dip it in whipped cream," Pidge replied as she adjusted her glasses.

"I...is this a prank?" Allura stammered.

The several perplexed blinking eyes told her that wasn't the case.

"What's the big deal?" Lance asked.

Coran cleared his throat. "Well, frankly Keith being unconscious is less worrisome than the fact you are all standing after eating an acket."

All the humans in the room stared blankly and went “Huh?” in unison.

Allura sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose. She really shouldn’t be surprised. She had personally witnessed the paladins escape fights that many beings would barley get away without breaking a couple of bones. She had suspected humans had a high level of endurance compared to other beings although this was on a whole new level.

“Ackets are famously known for putting people into a coma like state after being consumed,” Allura explained.

Hunk choked as he tossed his hands up in the air. “What?! But I bought these at the market! If they’re that dangerous, why just sell them so anyone can buy them?!”

Allura couldn’t deny Hunk had a point there. “There are some cultures that use ackets in sacred rituals. I imagine the seller assumed you knew what you were doing.”

“Okay, I guess that makes sense,” Hunk muttered as he rubbed his eyes, “but like we said we ate it and we’re all fine.”

Shiro frowned. “It might be because we’re human.”

All eyes turned towards him as he gave a shrug. 

“While I was held prisoner by the Galra, there were some food they gave us that were supposed to be ‘punishment’ and cause pain because it was really spicy, but I thought tasted just fine.” 

Shiro shut his eyes in thought. “Come to think of it, the guards were rather horrified by that and it might have been around the time they started to call me ‘champion’.”

Allura raised an eyebrow, but kept her mouth shut. She was going to have to add that to her mental book of weird human traits.

“Okay, I would believe that except that doesn’t explain why Keith is a ‘sleeping beauty’," Lance said as he pointed. "He’s human.” 

“Keith’s also part Galra, remember,” Pidge said as she raised a finger. “If Shiro’s theory is correct, then I’m guessing being only half human wasn’t enough to protect him from side effects of the ackets.”

“That does appear to be the case sadly,” Coran said as he brought out his tablet. 

"Can't we just place him in a cryopod?" Hunk asked.

"Unfortunately, no," Allura replied. "It can heal physical wounds but it can not remove poisons from the body."

“That is correct, but fear not, princess," Coran replied, as he held up his tablet. "There should be a cure for this.”

Allura sighed in relief as the paladins gathered around him. “And what would that be?”

“Hmm…,” Coran muttered as he swiped with his finger. “Let’s see, cures for usnip, liaros...Ah! Here we are! Ackets!” He pointed his finger at it. “All Keith needs is a kiss of true love!”

Dead silence entered the room. Everyone tilted their heads in confusion until Lance was the one to voice all of their thoughts in a single statement. “What?”

“Coran, that doesn’t make any sense,” Allura asked.

Coran coughed as he read it over. “Ah, well, it appears ackets are used in some cultures as part of a marriage ritual.”

“How is putting someone in a coma a marriage ritual?” Shiro asked with a raised eyebrow.

“It’s a way to test if your beloved to be is your actual true love,” Coran said as he tugged at his mustache.

Hunk sucked the air between his teeth. “I heard about leap of faith when it comes to love, but that’s putting it to the extreme.”

Lance grinned as he clapped his hands. “Guys, relax, I got this covered.” He held out his hand to Allura’s shoulder. “Chuchule, buddy, can I borrow you a second?” 

The mouse gave a nod as she hopped onto Lance’s hand and let him carry her over to Keith’s face.

“Alright, pucker up and give our grumpy mullet a smooch,” Lance declared.

The little mouse battered her eyes before leaning forward and kissed Keith’s cheek. The group watched silently for a reaction, but nothing happened.

“Did you honestly think that was going to work?” Pidge asked dryly with her arms crossed.

Lance shrugged as he set Chuchule on the bed next to Keith. “Hey, it was worth a shot. Alright?”

Shiro sighed as he looked to Coran. “Isn’t there another way to cure Keith?”

Coran tugged at his mustache as he read over the tablet. “That’s all that is said here, but Alfor might have written about another possible cure in one of his journals.” He pointed over his shoulder. “If we go digging through the old library we might find something there.”

“We better go hunting,” Shiro said as he glanced over to Allura. “Princess, would you mind keeping an eye on Keith’s vitals?”

“Certainly,” Allura said as she went to check the monitor. “If there are any changes I will inform you immediately.”

Allura silently watched them go before she pulled up a chair next to Keith. The mice squeaked as they scurried up onto Keith's bed and sat next to his face.

Allura sighed as she rubbed her eyes. "What a mess. From now on Coran and I should inspect on what Hunk buys from the market to cook with." 

She gently brushed away Keith's bangs from his face as she gave a tight frown. "I just hope we can fix this quickly. Never mind not being able to form Voltron, but it is difficult to predict how long Keith can last in this state."

If it came to it they could place him in a cryopod until they found a cure, but that still left them with the issue of being unable to form Voltron.

Allura leaned back in the chair. This would happen just when she thought they could take it a bit easy. Everything had been so hectic since the battle with Zarkon. They had the Blade of Marmora as allies. She learned Haggar was actually an Altean. They had nearly lost Shiro during the battle, but he miraculously came through and then there was Zarkon.

They had last seen him when they had attacked his base. Zarkon had attempted to take back the Black Lion with his own ro-beast armour, but after they defeated him he hadn’t been heard from since or Haggar for that matter. No one knew if the Emperor was alive or dead. Allura hoped it was the former, but if that was true they still had to deal with the crumbling remains of the Empire.

Then there was the fact there was no word on who would try to step in his place. The best Allura and the paladins could do was free the remaining planets still under Galra control, and hopefully be able to form a coalition with the other rebellions alongside the Blade of Marmora-

Various squeaking broke Allura’s train of thought. She glanced up and saw the mice were all smirking at her.

“What?” she asked with a raised eyebrow.

The mice chittered at her excitedly.

Allura's eyes widened as her brain translated their meaning. "You have a way to cure Keith?!" She leaned forward. "Please tell me?"

Platt placed a paw over his forehead and fainted.

Plachu pointed to Keith and then to Platt.

_So, Platt is pretending to be Keith, Allura thought. Alright._

Chulatt then held his paws together and fluttered his big eyes before kissing Platt on his cheek. Allura blinked in confusion as Platt jumped to his feet and remained so until Chulatt pointed to Allura.

Allura's jaw slowly dropped as she pointed to herself. "Are you implying I should kiss Keith?"

The mice nodded in unison before Platt fell backwards again.

Allura choked. "What?! No, out of the question! I am hardly Keith's 'true love'. Why would that-"

The mice chittered again and caused her to blush. She nervously check to make certain no one was listening before she leaned in further to whisper. "I sincerely doubt my small crush towards him counts."

Allura had to admit she was a bit infatuated with Keith. He was loyal, brave and didn’t hesitate to put rescue strangers, which was partly why it had been hard to approach him after the reveal of his Galra heritage. 

She felt almost fooled for having such feelings for what was her enemy until she reminded herself that Keith had more than proved himself. He was both her paladin and part of her new family. Allura had been grateful for the reminder that she should not lump all Galra into the same group.

With that said, her crush was a deeply guarded secret. Only the mice knew and she wished for it to remain that way.

The mice squeaked again as they pointed their tails at Keith.

"I am not kissing him," Allura hissed. "Even if I did believe such superstitious nonsense I am not doing it without his consent. That is hardly fair to him!"

Plachu crossed his arms as he gave a doubtful look as he tapped his foot.

"Yes, I recognize I can't ask for it in his current state but the fact remains-"

Chuchule squeaked which caused Allura to pause. This was Keith's health at state. If there was a slim chance she could cure him, didn't she owe him to do it?

Allura shut her eyes as she sighed. "Very well, but only on the cheek.”

It felt wrong enough to kiss him on the cheek without his consent. She simply refused to go any further beyond that. Allura rose and hovered above her friend. She glanced to the mice and saw she had their full attention upon her.

Allura cleared her throat as she inched closer to Keith’s face. She took a small breath, shut her eyes and then swiftly planted a kiss on Keith’s cheek. She cracked opened an eye. Keith remained still and Allura let loose the gulp of air she had been holding in.

She felt relief, but a strange twinge of disappointment lingered too.

“You see,” Allura told the mice as she straightened her posture, “I told you it was foolish to-”

A groan cut her off. Stiffly, Allura turned her head. Keith was sitting upright while grasping his forehead. 

He blinked rapidly at Allura and frowned. “Allura? What happened?”

“Um….” she muttered as she struggled to form the words. “That is...um.”

Suddenly, Hunk reappeared with a journal in his hand. “Hey, Allura, we might have found a lead on a cure, but Coran says he can’t read your dad’s writing. So, we were wondering if you could-”

He raised his head. The journal dropped from his hands like a stone. 

“KEITH!” He wailed happily as he pounced and scooped his friend up in his arms. “You’re alive! I mean, you weren’t dead, but you’re not asleep- OH, MAN I AM SO SORRY-”

“Okay, okay,” Keith cut in as he patted his arms. “I get that you’re happy, but could you loosen your grip a little?”

“Er, yes,” Allura said as she tapped Hunk’s shoulder. “I believe Keith needs a bit of air.”

Hunk wiped the tears from his eyes as he released Keith. “Right, sorry, but I am just so relieved that you’re alright.”

Keith raised an eyebrow. “I’m confused. What happened exactly?” He rubbed his neck. “Last thing I remember was eating that fruit you gave me.”

“To put it simply,” Allura said as she hugged herself, “you had a severe reaction to that fruit you ate and it put you into a coma.”

Hunk wiped his forehead. “Yeah, and we were trying to find a way to wake you up besides from that whole…” He paused and then grasped his chin. “Wait, Allura, how exactly did you get him to wake up?”

Allura sweated slightly but she gave a shaky shrug. “Uh..I’m afraid I have no idea.” The mice chattered loudly, but Allura waved them away, “Keith..um, just woke up on his own.”

“Really?” Hunk asked with a raised eyebrow. “That doesn’t seem-”

“Oh, it doesn’t matter why,” Allura hastily cut in. “What’s important is that Keith is awake now.”

Keith sighed as he rubbed his eyes. “Yeah, but I think I feel better if Coran ran some tests on me to double check.”

“Yeah, okay,” Hunk said slowly as he lead the way. “Let’s go tell the others that you’re awake then.”

“I will catch up with you,” Allura said with a small smile. “There’s just a small matter I must attend to first.”

“Uh, sure,” Keith said as he caught up to Hunk and rubbed his cheek. “I should ask Coran why my cheek feels numb.”

Allura ignored the knot formed in the pit of her stomach. She waited until the humans were out of sight before she locked her gaze upon the smirking mice. She leaned over and shook a finger.

“You four are not to say a word of this to anyone,” she muttered, “understood?”

The mice squeaked as they laughed, clearly ignoring her threat. Allura sighed as she pressed her fingers against her lips. “Especially not to me."


End file.
